Silence Leads
by SweetDragonSeeker
Summary: It only takes once for them to remember he's not invincible. Not anymore.


**I don't own it.**

 **Hiya guys. Long time no see. Ya miss me? XD Trying something new here… lemme know what y'all think, but do be nice about it, yeah? Thanks!**

 **SSS**

In the sudden silence, they could hear him breathing.

Percy, standing in the middle of the battlefield, tilted his head down, his dark hair feathering over his forehead as he observed the short spear protruding from his chest.

Reyna's dagger plunged into the throat of the monster that had thrown the weapon, its wielder numb with the knowledge that the blow had come a mere second too late.

Somehow, the silence didn't break as the creature screamed and disintegrated into a cloud of dust. Their world was a glass orb that no sound could penetrate within but that of Percy's labored breaths.

Percy lifted a hand, wrapping it around the shaft of the spear as though preparing to rip it free. Then he crumpled, falling to his knees and toppling forward.

Frank was fastest, and he reached his friend before he could fall far enough to force the spear any deeper into his body, the feline features he'd donned for battle fading and lion's paws becoming hands as he caught the son of Poseidon by his shoulders. He held him up on his knees, supporting his limp frame with an arm behind his shoulders. He peered into Percy's face, but he didn't try to remove the spear.

By the time Reyna reached their side as well, she wasn't sure if removing it would make any difference. Percy's eyes were starting to glaze over and his breath was getting shallow and raspy as his hands, growing slick with his own sticky red blood, slipped over the too-smooth wood of the spear's shaft.

The rest of the demigod fighting force was gathering slowly around them, the last of the monsters dispatched with more speed than care. They supported their other wounded on their shoulders as Reyna dropped to her knees beside Percy. Hazel covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide, horrified and afraid.

None of the others bore so bad a wound.

Percy's head fell against Reyna's shoulder as he was transferred gently from Frank's grip to hers, and she reached up, brushing hair slick with sweat back from his pale face. There was a trickle of blood dripping down his chin from his mouth, and his green eyes refused to focus on her face. She wasn't even sure he knew who she was.

"Help," he pleaded in her ear, voice low and hoarse as he tugged at the spear, and she reached down, wrapping her fingers around his and helping him to pull it free. He was beyond any help that preventing blood loss might have been able to afford.

The weapon clattered to the ground in a rush of warm red liquid, and Percy sagged against Reyna's shoulder, face turning slowly to bury itself in the curve of her neck.

There would be no saving him.

"Sorry," He whispered, barely audible, and she shook her head, her fingers fisting hard in his hair. He knew who she was. Her eyes stung with her own tears.

Hazel was crying openly, her face buried in Frank's chest as he held her, his own eyes too bright with shock and sorrow. The others all looked on, a stunned circle of purple and orange, pale skin and bloody hands. Annabeth knelt on Percy's other side, reaching for his hand with shaking fingers.

Percy Jackson was dying.

"No!"

Nico looked small and pale covered in blood with fear in his face as he skidded to a stop in the dust beside them. Percy's breath shuddered in his chest, rattling with looming finality. The son of Hades had tear-tracks streaking through the grime on his face as he reached out, seizing the dying boy's collar in his hands, and Reyna could feel his power rising from him like fog.

Percy breathed a sigh, but didn't move his head, didn't move at all. The flow of blood from his wound had slowed; there couldn't be much left for him to lose. Hades' son was trying to hold him, to hold his soul and body together. He should know better. Reyna buried her face in Percy's hair, hiding her own tears. Under the blood, he still smelled like the sea.

Beneath them, the ground began to shake.

 **SSS**

 **So….should I continue and do something with it, should I leave it here….? I'm practicing my angst, for those who are wondering. :D Anyway, see y'all later! ~Seeker**


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